Hard Candy
by Fallen Remains
Summary: After being brainwashed by Itex Sydney is back to who she used to be. But she can't remember a thing about Iggy and the world he lives in. He can. Then when fate throws them back together it's not to ease any pain. It's to save the world. Summ inside
1. Summary

Summary(ies)

**BOOK 1: Love's Sight (I HIGHLY RECOMMEND YOU READ IT FIRST OR YOU WILL BE SO CONFUZZLED! Don't worry, the chapters are short :)] Go. READ IT NOWWWW! RAWR!**

Sydney Falcon had absolutely no idea who she was in the world. She was just that girl who went to the convenience Mart every Friday sunset for a case of soda , a pack of gum and a bag of chips, carrying her guitar in it's backpack case on her back. The girl who rode her skateboard everywhere, getting ready to inherit her older brother's old truck. After her parents died in a car wreck, her brother was approved to care for her as long as their close aunt came to visit every so often, so she wasn't put into some orphanage.

But one Friday, while chatting with her friend who works at the mart she runs into a tall, pale, blond and blue eyed stranger. It surprised her, how his mysterious charm and intense gaze overwhelmed her. It was almost like he was hiding another secret.

After another encounter with the stranger, she finds his name.

Iggy.

**BOOK TWO! Weightless**

Now, three months after being betrayed, framed and brainwashed by Angel and the Itex, Sydney Falcon is back to her normal self. She's forgotten every single thing about Itex, the framing, her arrest, the flock and worst of all- even Iggy, who's being driven up the wall, he's still so madly in love.

But then disaster strikes yet again when Fang tries to make him feel better by taking him out to crash a party. And just one little mistake can lead to a whole chain of others. Including the discovery of a mystery of a past life, hiding in a box up in the attic, that should have been burned three months ago.


	2. Ten Thousand Years

Sydney

I flip my long black hair out of the inside of Duncan's old letterman's jacket. I flip over the magenta bangs so their out of my eyes.

I have an hour to kill before I must head out to my job.

I hear the familiar dinging of my sidekick. I touch the already lit up screen and read Maya's text.

**Al, Syd- Ellen Page movie extravaganza, Candy Feast and hours of Sacred Secret Circle. All nighter. My place. Home Alone. Six sharp! :] **

I smile to myself. This day is shaping up perfectly, I'll go out to work, rock some coffee-teers worlds and then have a bitching time making drunken covers of Lady GaGa songs and eating skittles straight from the pack as we gather together in honor of our life hero, Ellen Page.

Maybe I'll finally get around to deleting this contact on my phone. Iggy. I mean who the hell is that? I've started to grow on the theory that it's one of Chandler's weird cousins who just programmed into my phone and I never noticed. But whenever I mention this to Maya she just gets this weird look on her face and says, "Yeah, maybe…" and then shuts up. But I don't say anything. Maybe she had a crush on him or something. I dunno, I probably shouldn't ask. That look she gets on her face whenever I ask her looks all pained and crap. And I don't want to make her feel bad.

I finally get to my flat and pull my key out of my pocket. I'm just about to stick in the door and twist it around, when I hear Duncan's furious shout. "Yeah when pigs grow wings and fly. I'm not going to have this happen to her. Now why don't you shut up and get the _hell_ out of my _home_."

At that point, I stab the key in the lock and throw it around until the door flies open. Two emo kids should intimidate whoever's in there. "I want what's best for her! You think I'm not confused? Cause I am! I-" Duncan's head whips my way and his face gets softer. Standing with him is a man equally as tall as him, with slicked back bleached blonde hair and a pointed chin. He looks like the poster boy for corporate offices.

Poster man looks and me and Duncan returns his gaze to him, meets his eye and points at the door. Poster man nods my way and then turns on his heel and marches out the door. The door shutting behind him with a polished snip.

"Who was that?" I catch myself demanding of Duncan, who runs his hands through his black and green hair. The back of his neck is red, the way it gets when gets over-protective or super pissed or in any rare case, exceptionally drunk, which I only because of the time to so called "love of his life" ,Wendy, dumped his ass and moved outta state. After that Duncan refused to get emotionally involved with shit and then drank some of dad's old beers. Back that night, I came home to find him trying to riot equal rights for magic markers and was about to go streak the streets.

"No one." He tries to get away by walking off to the kitchen.

"Oh?" I scoff. "And what's this 'no one's occupation? Why was he here? Why were you yelling?"

"Please stay out of it, Syd, okay?"

"No," I growl and storm over to him, grabbing his arm. "What the hell Dunk! Please tell me what's going on!"

He looks at me and his pointed, hard eyes soften. He stares at me from a moment, as if trying to decide what to say and then says, "It was just the doctor, talking about… Aunt Rhonda's colonoscopy."

"And he came to our house? And why were you yelling?"

"Cause doctors tend to keep me p.o-ed. You know what they're like, a whole bunch of Satanists who like to play God and watch lesser people scream."

I let go of his arm.

"Who doesn't know that?" I click my tongue and walk over to the fridge; I pull out a pudding cup. I peel off the seal and lick the inside.

There's a few moments of silence between the conversation. There's always been that awkward pause. I dunno. Sometimes I feel like I fell asleep and then woke up in some twisted reverse world, cause lately Duncan's been almost… distant and then too close all at once. Like I've become something he's afraid, but is too fragile to be alone. But I feel alone all the time…

But then, he looks at me, as though I'm the one that's been gone ten thousand years.

I pull a plastic spoon out of the drawer and scoop the chocolate pudding up and into my mouth. I pause for a moment to take off Dunk's jacket.

I take in another glimpse of my arms. Scars leftover from my traumatic sleepwalking-bush incident lay awry on my arms and legs, and one sits underneath my chin.

I trace one and Dunk takes in a nervous breath and looks away.

I put the jacket back on. His shoulders relax.

I don't say anything.

"Well, I'm out. I'll see you tomorrow, Dunk. I'm spending the night at May's."

"Okay, cool beans, Schizo," He says, calling me by a nickname that used to be a big inside joke when we were younger. He gives me a one-arm hug around the shoulder.

I run up to my room really fast and grab my shoulder bag. After a quick cram session I grab my guitar and skateboard and I'm back down the stairs, feeling as though there's something everyone's not telling me, but hey I might just be going crazy! Three months ago I woke up thinking it was the last week of May and everyone was thinking I was crazy insane. It felt like I had slept through summer and there was some sick dream I can't remember. It turned out to be September, but I can't remember squat about summer. Not one single memory. I guess that's what I get for staying at Duncan's party.

Now it's December. And everything seems to be going in perfect motion. The band is back together, Ally on base Jude on drums Chandler on any rare piano accompanists. Trav and I on guitar and vocals and as for Maya she dubbed herself coordinator and now micromanages our every move. It's warm outside for December and I think Hunter, Duncan's best friend, isn't just "friend-flirting" as (Maya calls it) anymore.

So who knows? January is only another week away. And I can't wait for the next year.

I can't wait to see what will happen.


	3. Submerged in Water

Iggy

It's been three months.

Thirteen weeks.

Ninety one and a half days.

Thirty thousand two hundred and forty eight minutes.

Hell yes, I counted.

Counting… counting keeps me from thinking.

Memories are haunting.

Time is useless and there's too much of it.

It's a piss ass life, people. Get used to it.

I roll over, and take a breath of the salty air. Galveston's a lonesome area. Especially now in September. I like to think that me and Galveston in September have a lot in common. I don't talk much anymore. No one tries to fix what's been broken and it's not like they could do squat about it anyway.

I hear them tiptoe past my room, whispering in the dead of night, **"**_What're we gonna do about Iggy?"_

_Ugh. _

To hell with that. They don't think that I can smell the pity in the air. I clench my toes and throw the covers off violently. Fifteen minutes of my eyes shut is rejuvenating enough. All I've been living on is pictures in my head and my own frustration. Now in hiding, I have every right to sit in the dark just thinking. But now, I feel like I should go visit my close and only friend.

Silently, I feel my way to the window, opening it up, and then I softly leap out, and soon find myself landing safely in the sand.

The ocean's calm and lonely again. My crusty distressed jeans grace a few grains of sand as I move towards the ocean. The waves, excited to see someone, rush at me, flooding my feet, washing away sorrows. I walk along the trail of wet sand, until I crash into a wooden pole.

I grumble a string of colorful words as I start to feel around it.

The dock.

I turn and walk up it, the deadening wood creaking with every step.

I come to the end, a foot dangling off the edge. Then I see her face again and put my weight all on the air.

Submerged entirely into the water, I stay there, under. Away. I wonder what it would be like to just swim away. To join the drift. Where would it take me?

To just be one here. But I won't be one. I'm never gonna be one again. Just a bunch of pieces, floating around in the universe.

Then, I feel a sense of movement. I've tapped in. Here I am again. Her dreams.

Somehow, her telepathy has found a way to find me. And now I have a few moments of immortal bliss. _Please, don't fade_, I pray so hard. _Please_.

She's there, standing in front of me, mouthing my name. I can see her. I can see her face, her flawless skin, purple eyes, black hair. It's all still there. She's still perfect. She's still safe. Ever since the brainwashing, she could only mouth my name.

I reach out to her, take her face in my hand. She gazes up at me, her head tilted slightly as though she's getting a déjà vu.

_Iggy_. She mouths it again, and then brings up her hand and grazes her fingers across my face, I close my eyes for a moment as she traces down my eyelid. I bring her to me, I close my arms around her and then open my mouth to say something. To tell her I love her, but to no avail. As anyone knows, reality fails to meet up to your expectations and I instead inhaled a gallon of water and started to choke then. She slips away, her last expression confused, sad, and scared as she reaches out to me. She's waking up. And I'm struggling to get up. Then she's gone for good.

My head pops out of the ocean and a tidal wave shoots out of my mouth. I have a coughing fit as I float up and my back. I ease my shoulders and try to relax. Wanting to just float out to sea. And where I go, no one will know or remember who I am.

And I wish I could say I'd forget too.

But how could I?

I take in a big breath and sink again.


	4. Tenth Street

Wow… After some of the reviews I've received for the last chapter, this one will without a doubt piss the lot of you entirely off. BTW: I DID change the name. "Weightless" I dunno it was starting to bug me.

-Roy

Sydney

I fist bump Gunther as I roll in on my board. "Ready when you are."

Now that I'm back here in reality land, the strange dreams with that mysterious random guy are gone away and I push him out of my head. Whenver I do, I get this weird feeling in my gut, like I want to cry-slash-scream-slash-run till I'm somewhere where I can see him in reality/

No! Away thoughts! Away! He's a stupid dream! Like the monster you used to think lived in you're shower when you were little! Nothing but a dream!

Gunther smiles and I kick my board underneath the platform and unzip my guitar case. I see Hunter lounging, legs outstretched on the sofa. He takes a drink from his coffee and smiles at me. I wave and then tap on the mike. Of course he's here! Duncan must have told him my shift schedule. I glance down quickly and tuck a stray lock of hair behind my ear. Then I motion for him to come up with me. His expression drops and he shakes his head. I wag my eye brows at him, and he pales.

"Good evening, everyone," I say into the mike, smiling coyly. "Before I really kick off tonight, I'd like to start with a little special guest thing. If you guys could please welcome my good friend, Hunter, to the stage?"

People clap kindly, but Hunter remains on the sofa. Shaking his head and nervously glugging his coffee.

"Oh, I guess Hunter's too afraid," I say with a pouting face and people began to raise up on the applaud-o-meter.

"Come on Hunter!" I singsong, strumming the guitar. And starting.

"_There's a place, down on Tenth Street_," People sit, and drink their coffee as I fill the gaps of silence with music from the guitar. Hunter, then awkwardly adjusts his arms and stands up and the people roar.

He takes the electric back up guitar from the stand and slings it around his shoulders just in time to tune in with me on, "_It's a another day I'll spend forgiving_."

He sings his part and then laughs a little, as he smiles at me, and then I figure, whatever, I've earned this.

"_Looking out from our mouth, I'll tell what I really do love_." I chime in and together we turn our favorite Valencia song into a duet.

And hey, who knows, I think I might like him a little too. I give a soft little smile as I realize this and he winks at me as he rips on his own little electric solo.

"_Every little thing that you said, I wish I could take it back_." I sing alone this time as he plays a melody in the back.

"_Maybe the next time, remember, come December, I won't be home_."

At the end of the song, I realize how close he is to me, and he's breathing really heavily and for a sheer fleeting moment I think he's going to kiss me. Right here, smack in front of everyone and then I can hear them all take in a breath and hold as if their watching a real life romance movie. He doesn't look at them, only at me. He digs into my eyes and I can feel him falling in I am in his.

Then I cough and take a step back and I hear everyone exhale in disappointment. And I try to shake it off with a laugh, and he gives me one of his cute crooked grins and tries to exit the stage, but I grab his arm. "Oh hell no, you're not done yet!" I laugh and he turns back to me, "Well then what's next, Syddy?" He says. Hunter's the only one who has ever called me 'Syddy'. And suddenly, now, the way he says it sends a chill down my spine.

For once in my life, I felt speechless. This felt right. And I wanted it to feel right. But something swirling inside of me is try to contradict me. And I really want it to freaking _shut up_.

I whisper my song choice in my ear and he smiles. "Good choices, where did you get you're amazing song selection?"

"Classified," I say, smiling again. I'm smiling so much I'm afraid I'm going to hurt my cheeks. He winks back and then just sings. And this time, he's only singing for me. He's only singing to me.

We're alone.

"_She's all laid up in bed with a broken heart, while I'm drinking jack all alone in my local bar_…"

[][][][][][]

He walks me out, his rough fingers, intertwined with mine. It felt fast, and strange and… awfully… wrong, but I held onto his hand anyway.

"So…" He says, grinning at me. "Wanna catch a movie next weekend?"

"Yeah…" I say, returning the smile, "I'd like that."

I can't believe I was so oblivious. Of course, I'm supposed to be here, it's basic textbook. And I wonder how long Hunter's wanted to ask me out and he's so hot. And why me, I wonder…

He leans in, and I bite my lip in mid-smile. This is it, isn't it? Oh, damn. It's happening. What the hell do I do!

Oh Maya's gonna give me hell tonight…

HONK!

The screechy car horn interrupts and I whirl around and find Maya sitting behind the wheel, Ally and Tarea, already in the car. Maya gives me a sappy smile and waves all five fingers at me.

I roll my eyes and silently curse her name.

"I've gotta go, but I'll see you Friday, right?"

"I sure hope so," She says and kisses me forehead quickly, turning a little red.

"Sorry," He says, as though he's done me some dishonor.

"No, it's.. It's fine." I bite my lip again he just stares at me. I then catch myself, kissing his cheek before quickly turn on my heel and running to the car.

I throw my guitar in the trunk and hop in the front seat.

I slink down, and my tips down her sunglasses to the edge of her nose.

"Oooh, Sydney Ryan you've got some ex-play-nin' to do," She says, putting the gear in reverse and Tarea wolf whistles.

"What a sexy piece of man meat you've got yourself there, Syd," Ally purrs.

"Shut up," I groan and slump down farther.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" Tarea giggles and kicks the back of my seat multiple times.

"Whatever happened to "I'm done I'm not up to that whole boyfriend-calls at midnight-romance-comedy crap" girl?" Maya asks, pushing her glasses up on her nose and pulling out into to the street.

I shrug.

"Hunter's Hunter. He's not like that."

Maya snorts and laughs.

"Neither was-" She quickly cuts herself off as though she's said too much and in the rearview mirror I watch as Tarea casts her a terrified glance.

"Neither was what?" I ask, confused.

Neither was _Juno_!" Ally declares then Tarea quickly woos. I laugh and crack up the music and roll down my window. This is going to be good night.


	5. Todays Headline: Murderer In The Salon

Sydney

As Maya pulls up to my house, all of us exit the car and walk inside. Scenes from _Hard Candy_ and _Whip It_ are still replaying in my head as I step through the door. And it's been a few days since our Ellen Page-fest And now I've got the intro scene from _Inception_ trapped in my head.

Duncan's throwing clothes into the washer. I look at him with a weird look.

"Wow, cleaning your party jeans! Something's going down tonight!"

"Only the sickest NYE party of the year!" He cries turning it on before walking over to us.

"Hey, M, Al Capone," He nods to them, greeting them. "Tarea," He says, smiling.

"Hi, Duncan." Everyone says in normal unison, Ally stretches out like a cat in the recliner and T and M take their seats on the couch.

"What's NYE?" Tarea asks me quietly.

I shrug. "New Years Eve."

"I'm going out of city. It's going to be in-_SAYNE_!" He exclaims.

"Oh! An out-of-city party! Syd! We've gotta go!"

"_PARTAY WEEKEND_!" Al shouts.

"Totally!"

"Yeah without me," I snort.

"Where is it?" I ask. "I dunno," He says. "All I know is that Hunter's designated driver, there will be loud music, yours truly and hot chicks so don't expect me home for…" He closes one eye, calculating. "Six days."

I roll my eyes and grumble. "Gladly."

"Whatever I'll just ask _Hunter_ for directions!" Maya says, winking at me and I turn away.

I don't really know what to say now that I've realized that this is all not so much a dream. It was like I jumped to far in the deep end and don't know how to swim.

I don't exactly know what to think about this winter break.

[][][][][][][][][]

"MANI-PEDI!" Maya screeching like a banshee as she tries to pry me out the door. I'm holding onto the doorknob for dear life as she tugs harder on my ankles.

"NO!" I scream. My palms starting to get sweaty.

"YEEEEESSSS!"

My palms get sweaty enough and I curse under my breath as I am ripped from the doorknob. I let out a shriek as she drags me across the lawn to the car where Ally is already grumping in the front.

"THIS IS CONSIDERED RAPE IN FIVE COUNTRIES!" I scream at the top of my lungs, ripping up grass as my nails dig into the dirt.

"OH MY GOD, SYDNEY RYAN FALCON! SHUT UP AND GET IN THE BLOODY CAR! TAREA! PLEASE!" Then T takes my legs and Maya rips my hands out of the ground. She smiles ever so sweetly at me and shows me my nails.

"Now you definitely need one."

As T pulls me all the way into the car. And Maya waves to me through the window.

I flip her off.

She laughs ever so giddily and hops in the drivers seat.

"Okay so my cousin recommended this so called "amazing" place and I don't want to go alone…" Maya babbles.

"Oh, I think we got that message," Ally groans.

We pull into a empty space in front of "Simone's Serenity" and I roll my eyes.

Cheesy, much?

I slam my side of the door shut. As Maya pushes her sunglasses up into her hairline, I push my aviators down over my eyes.

Maya strides through the open the door in her very-Maya way. And a woman standing behind the desk, chewing a wad of Bubbalicious and has very large, very curly hair with several headbands in the midst of it, flips another page of her issue of People before glancing up.

"Well you must be, Maya!" She smiles, sweetly. Her teeth are exceptionally white. And she's very bony. Her long nails are perfect candy apple red and her knobby fingers stab a cigarette into an ashtray.

"And you must be Simone!" Maya exclaims, as though they've known each other since the dawn of time and haven't seen each other in a thousand years.

"Ellie told me you'd be coming. And these must be you're friends!" She comes over to us and Maya gestures to my glasses. I shake my head, grim.

"Ally, right? Good, good, and you dear?"

"Tarea."

"Beautiful, like a Brazilian sunset over the horizon."

"It actually means homework." She laughs quietly to herself.

"Well, I'll forever think of a Brazilian sunset when I think of your name instead and you-"

She stomps on my foot and my glasses go sailing to the ground. I play fully shove her. Then look up and then woman's face is excruciatingly pale. Like she's looking straight through me. "Me Gods…." "Elaina!" She calls over her shoulder, still staring at me. "Yeah?" "ELAINA!" "I'm coming I'm-" Elaina gasps.

"What? Am I that ugly..?"

"You exist."

"Uh-" I raise an eyebrow, but then a streak of black and magenta catch my eye behind her, and suddenly, without thinking or even knowing what I'm doing, I push past her, to paintings all aligning the salon.

Customers, glance at me then at the paintings and back again. They do this procedure multiple times.

"What the hell?" I whisper under my breath.

It's… It's me…?

I don't understand. Who made these? Where did they come from. It's amazing. It's me in everyway. There are a ton of them. Their everywhere! Surrounding me!

Me… Laughing…

Me smiling… Me looking up, at something. Gazing at something. My purple eyes, streaks and dots of green and blue in them. There's even one of my high tops. Their green laces, muddied just as they are in real life.

Then I turn to one. Smack in the middle of everything else.

It's me and it looks like a Polaroid picture. I laughing, staring out into nothing. But there, next to me, gazing at me, with a face so dangerous, so adventurous… So gentle.

He's a red head, a pale faced guy. His eyes are blue…

His eyes are blue.

His eyes are blue.

His.

Eyes.

Are.

Blue.

This factor, although seemingly innocent and regular, somehow turned into something I needed to pay a great deal of attention to. Like it was a clue in a treasure hunt I had no idea I had no intention of playing.

_Who_ _made_ _these_!

I suck in a breath I haven't taken in two minutes.

"Where did you get these?" I ask to the air.

"It was a long while back, that red headed boy right there, blind guy, God bless his soul, was in desperate need of cash. Got them all for eight hunder'. Nice guy."

"I've never, I've never, I've never-" Stuck on repeat.

"Wait a minute-" Someone says, standing up. A customer.

"You're _Sydney_ _Falcon_! You're- You're- You're!"

"Yes?" I ask, confused, and scared. What was happening to me?

She then let out a scared ass shriek. "HELP!" She started to scream as she and her friend ran out the door. "MURDERER! THE MURDERER'S HERE! HELP! HELP! THE MURDERER'S IN THE SALON!"

I don't know what to think anymore! What's happening to me! What's going on! I'm not a murderer! Hell, I'm only sixteen!

"What?" I ask, now I'm frightened out of my mind! What do I say? What do I think? I shaking I realize! Where did these paintings come from, why is that woman screaming me 'murderer'?

My breath is heavy but quick and Simone and Elaina help me into a chair.

"Is she okay!" Elaina cries. Her straight as stick blond hair and bangs flopping all in her face.

"She…" Maya whispers something in her ear. And then I yank my arms out of Simone and Elaina's grasp.

"NO!" I scream. "NO! NO! NO! NO! First all the secrets and two-faced acts and now this! What the hell is happening to me!"

"We're going to need to reschedule." Tarea whispers quietly.

"Hell yeah we need to reschedule!" I shout! And Simone says, "Of course! Here's my card! You girls call me or Elaina anytime for salon matters or to talk!"

"Thanks," Maya says taking the card.

Then I catch myself hollering more. "No! Tell me now! _TELL_ ME _NOW_!"

Ally's mouth opens like she's about to say something, but just gapes there, as though she doesn't know how to say it.

"WHAT?" I yell in her face.

Then, stuck. Stiff, everything is, everyone is, frozen. I stand there, my eyes darting around. The thick air is difficult to maneuver through. The only other person that is moving is some green haired guy leaning on the doorframe in the back. He is wearing a black fedora, and it's covering his eyes. Who the hell is this and where does he think he is, Casa-freaking-blanca?

"Sydney, I knew this wasn't going to work out. There's too many people and too many memories to keep you in the dark."

I drop a solid f-bomb.

"What? Why! HOLY MOTHER OF GOD! What is going on! Who are you?"

He just laughs and tips back the fedora, so I can see his eyes and star scar over his temple.

"It's been a long time coming, coz. We've met before. But why tell you everything when I could show you?" Then everything snaps back to reality. And everyone's breathing again. The water is running and the people are moving. But Fedora is making an escape out the front. And then instinct takes over. I jump up and push past everyone and just run.

They all cry my name and Ally and Maya try to run after me, but their attempts are futile and they easily give up. But as for me, my mission is simple.

Follow Fedora.


	6. Imagine Being Told You're Living a Lie

Sydney

The asshole is going into my house! INTO MY HOUSE!

HOLY- HE WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE DOOR!

I race after him and fumble with my key before finally throwing open the door in a state of utter panic.

He's going up the stairs! GET HIM! I race up the stairs and see him jump upwards into the attic. As I'm about to grab hold of the string, the door, to the attic falls open and the stairs come sliding down easily. I quickly rush up them, tripping several times and them I see him, standing at the other end. I run at him, in a desperate attempt to grab him by the damn throat. But them, BAM! Collision! And I hit the hard ground, a box knocked over and it's contents, spilled out.

At first this registered no interest, until my foot, having lost a flip-flop, came to rest on something soft and silky-satin. I rear around. I've felt that material before.

The dress. It's that Amanda girl's dress! What's it doing in this box? But then, my gaze was caught by something orange.

I grab the silicon-y feel. And it falls open with my grasp. A… prison jumpsuit? It was just as matted as the dress, tears in the pants, blood on the inside of the top. The number 3489765 are stitched on as patches. I stare at the blood in fear and quickly let it fall from my hand, but then out falls a white tank top from folded inside of it.

It was worse, hell, it wasn't even a tank top. It was just a couple of bloody threads, barely even holding on. I gasp and drop it as well then I pull the box over, Fedora no longer in my mind as I start to root through. There're are the prison shoes in here as well, and a bunch of DVDs and VHS tapes. Tied, down at the bottom, are a bunch of newspapers and magazines. I dump the entire box out on the ground and bite the string off the papers. Headlines shock me.

**SYDNEY FALCON, TEENAGE CRIMINAL! **

**15 YEAR OLD PUNKER GIRL ARRESTED FOR MURDER AT SAINT CHAVERS EVENT**

**THE GIRL YOU THOUGHT YOU KNEW: FALCON-MURDERER INSIDE STORY! FRIENDS AND FAMILY SPILL!**

**KIDNAPPED: ACCLAIMED TEENAGE MURDERER-SYDNEY FALCON. **

**WHERE IS THE MURDERER? PRISON BREAK OR HOSTAGE SITCH? **

**DUNCAN FALCON FORCES PRESS OUT OF HOME. **

"**I'M NOT THE KILLER." THEN WHO IS? INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS. **

**DR. OHUME KUMA ARRESTED FOR THE KIDNAPPING OF SYDNEY FALCON**

**THE TRAUMA BEHIND THE SCENES! THE FALCON FRAMAGE, KIDNAP, AND NOW IT'S ALL GONE. LITERALLY! **

**THE DRAMATIC-TRAUMATIC RETURN!**

Newsprint and blurry pictures of me are splattered before me as I go through more of this. There's me! Being escorted into a cop car! And there sitting before a crowd of people in court! Then me, lying on the ground, my face bruised, cut and the rest of my body more beat up that my face.

I lift up my shirt, where a long trailing white mark lies just barely under my belly button. There, on one of the insanely realistic pictures of me on the front lawn of the police station, I can see it, my stomach slashed clean open, blood both dried and spilling from me is covering all of me. Not only that, but there's sweat and grime marking my face, highlighting the bruises.

I stare in pure, utter horror. This is terrifying! I want so desperately to believe it was all a dream, my imagination run helplessly amuck, anything, anything! Please, God, anything! This can't be true! This can't be reality! This- This _happened_. I catch myself staring in terror at a particularly gruesome picture of me. Crime scene tape bright yellow in the back, and an exceptional contrast to the brown, red, and white.

My hands are palm-up and facing the sky and my left arm is completely covered in bright red blood. My dark blue and black laced-edge Candies bra is sticking out like some sort of survivor. The once-upon-time- a white tank top is covering my right side, although it's been slashed to bits. My hair is messy, tangled and covered in everything from, blood to spit, to grass, to dirt. You couldn't even tell my bangs were purple.

My face is grim, pale, and deathly. I'm a mixture of colors, white, blue, black, brown and red. The colors of wounds. Like I was in the fight of my life and I skipped everything! I can't remember shit about any of this! I drop the paper and shake myself, hoping ever so longingly that I'll shake myself awake.

But of course not, and my breath hitches. I'm sitting here, discovering that I've lived some sort of double life. And survived to tell the tale, that is, if I could remember the tale. It was insane, not right, crazy. I was sitting here, being told that I was not this. Everything I was told, everything that was happening to me in the past three months was a _lie_.

And there in this swift moment, I began to get furious. This explained everything! This was- This is- I'm so pissed I can't even formulate a proper sentence.

But this explains the look of every damn stranger on the street, the secrecy, the tens of thousands of scars loitering on my arms, my legs, my neck, my stomach, my back and face and that God awful feeling that absolute _lies_ were lingering all around me, that simple feeling that knives were being plunged into my back quicker than I could count.

Everyone had a second face. _Everyone_. _All_ my friends, Aunt Rhonda, Gunther, even Duncan. _Duncan_, turned his back on me. God, I'm so stupid! I'm so freaking _stupid_!

I was a _prisoner_, a so acclaimed _murderer_, I was in New York at the time of the _explosion_ of Saint Chavers. I was there, fighting for my life in NY. I was _kidnapped_, taken, and beaten. For Christ's holy sake, _beaten_! And it had been _so_ _bad_, tat I had amnesia! _AMNESIA_. All the while I had been told it was just an "_uneventful_" summer.

Whoever had this damn idea to keep this all a lie, is really headed for hell tonight!

I try to breath but nothing comes in or out. I just move from newspaper to newspaper.

Despite the deep striking feeling inside of me that's simply begging me to stop, to forget it all, I pursue through the mounds and mounds of newspaper and glossy pages of magazines. Reading word after word, flipping page after page. Find out what truly happened behind the curtain while I was out on stage.

I flop down FALCON: FRAMED AND FREE! WHAT REALLY HAPPENED! And drop my head in my hands.

But then something hits the sole of my foot. I look over and a stack of VHS tapes are sitting there, gazing up at me.

"No one's home," Fedora says, getting really quiet all of a sudden. "Watch them."

He's calm and kind, but there's some sort of undetected urgency as he says it. His hands are shoved awkwardly in his pockets. And he looks less cocky now, less like he knows everything. No, he just looks like he's _pitying_ me. Something strikes me then and I burst up an charge at him, full speed ahead, arm and hand outstretched, going in for the slap. But then, he grabs my wrist, but it doesn't faze him in the slightest.

"PITY ME, WHY DONTCHA! JUST SIT AND FEEL SORRY WELL YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!" I scream at the top of my lungs, trying to break him as I am. But he only looks at me, face collected.

"Watch them," He only repeats. I yank my wrist from his grasp and rub it. I back away slightly only to find myself tripping and falling to the ground. I glance away and bite away at my lip. I'm still rubbing my wrist.

"Tell me this then, who are you, why the hell are you here, and what are you?"

"You've really forgotten," He says softly then looks at me with kind eyes.

"Several years ago, I was taken into the care of a experimental and insanely evil group of people, who turned me into something not even Einstein himself could comprehend, therefore in this state you would have absolutely no idea or even know what to do if I attempted to explain what I am, but for the most part, I can tell that yes I am a ghost. And somewhere along the way, you got tangled up in everything. I'm here to make sure you understand what happened, and to tell you everything you think went on from June to September was a big fat lie."

He stops pacing and bends down, offering me his hand and he gives me smile like someone would give if they were giving you you're Starbucks.

"Hi, Ari Batcheleder. Nice to meet ya."


	7. Forced to Move On

Iggy

I don't really remember the last time I sat at the table. But I was back here again, and I slump back, arms crossed, refusing to talk to anyone, but unfortunately everyone wanted to talk to me. I hear the plate being set in front of me.

Almost instantly, I shove the plate forward, and stand up.

"Finished," I only say and then I trap myself back in this familiar prison. I lean back against the door.

I hate my life.

I hate everything.

Everything's stupid.

Food is stupid.

Sleep is stupid.

The sun is stupid.

The stars are stupid.

Colors are stupid.

Furniture's stupid.

The ocean's stupid.

Seagulls are stupid.

EVERYTHING IS STUPID.

I slam myself through my room and hang my head out my window. I take a deep breath of the night and sigh to myself.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

I suck.

Then footsteps storm into the room and big hands yank me out of the window.

"C'mon, Iggy. Put on a different shirt."

"Why?" I groan, as clothing hits my face. "Because. I said so. And you're depressed and you need a night out!"

"No thanks." I toss the shirt back at him, but it hits me instead, like a boomerang.

"Yes. Come on! It's New Years eve! You're going to RESTART! You're going to freshen up. Meet new people."

I put on the shirt just to please him, but flop on the bed and stretch out.

"No. Thank. You."

"Jesus, Iggy! The year is over. It's over! She's over! Forget her!"

Then I lose control of who I am. Next thing I know I have Fang by the neck and have slammed him up against the wall.

"She was everything to me! She had me by a freaking string. I'm not just up and forgetting the best person in the world!"

When he starts to choke, that's when I fall back down to earth. Great. Now I really have to go to that stupid party.

I drop him, and he slips to the ground, catching his breath.

I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "Sorry, man, I just… You-"

"I… understand…" He gasps out. "I'd probably do the same. But… All I'm saying is that. You've gotta move on now… I guess. She was kind of… forced to…"

I nod. "You're right," I whisper under my breath.

"But you do understand, you owe me one now." He smirks at me. I flick him off.

He sniggers and returns it. "Let's get you to that party, Ig."


	8. Like A Boss

Sydney

The videos are worse.

"If I watch one more, I'm gonna scream," I whisper to myself, but I don't object as Ari pops one out and puts in another.

I've just seen myself at court, lazily answering questions in a wooden chair standing before a large completely filled room, I've seen videos taped of the news of me being led into a cop car from the station to the courtroom. I only glared at the camera while people screamed at me. For a moment I think I heard myself say 'get the hell out of my face' and then 'no comment' but they still flew questions at me. Accusations. I've watched more newscasts as well, one of me being filmed getting arrested from a helicopter, oh God, there were tons of taped newscasts… The last one I saw was one… But it wasn't me. The press knocked on my house door, dead quiet. It was early morning, Duncan forgot where he was in life I guess, and made the mistake of opening it, immediately saying 'shit' to a CNN cameraman. The bombarded him with questions and his scratchy skin and red eyes glowered back. And he growled 'get out!' and properly slammed the door. I noticed the back of his neck was super red as he slammed the door. The way he gets when he's really upset, or really drunk…

I don't want to talk about that video anymore…

The video starts as people setting up tables and a buffet in a large ball room area.

Ari fast forwards through it, I just watch the screen intently he then stops it as a rowdy but finely dressed group of teenagers come in. There's Duncan and me… Boy do I look weird! I'm in some crazy, gala event black gown. My hair is back but I see two feathers sticking out. Their white and a dusty brown all at once and my face twists up. That was in the dress… They-…

I feel like I'm watching a movie with Sims avatars. But we're more realistic in a way, more crisp… More featured.

About forty five minutes into this I growl at Ari.

"_Why_ am I still watching this _shit_?"

[I do remember shouting this at the premier of Twilight, by the by, or wait a minute, did that really happen or was it a lie to!]

He rolls his eyes, leaning back in the recliner. "Just watch."

My head perks up as me on the screen seems to notice something. She turns her head and freezes up. She stays still and walks over to a very tall guy. He has familiar looking strawberry blond hair and has a glimmering golden earring in one ear. Harry Connick Jr. is singing away and then I see my Sims avatar, just out of nowhere, kiss this guy.

"WHAT?" I shriek. Who the-

"Wait-" He tries to soothe, his gaze returning to the screen.

"No! Who is that!"

"WAIT!"

And then I shut up and look back at the screen, now a younger darker skinned girl is talking to me, and Chandler's gazing over his shoulder at something in the back, but then Ally says something to him and he blushes. Then a tiny seven year old blonde girl comes running out of nowhere. She's panted and starts blurting something out only to shut up and then, the Kisser Guy whispers something to me and they take off. Next thing I'm doing is suddenly turning myself green. I'm holding my head and my stomach, groaning. I start getting obnoxious with complains and rushing my friends out.

Then something catches my eye on our way out. And all of a sudden there's a murderous shriek and the sound of gunfire.

I grab Maya first and hiss something at her and she nods at me, confused but runs out and then I scream "SNAKE!" Which sends every person in the room into a frenzy. And I grab Ally's arm and tell her something, she looks at me harder and I grip her arm tighter. Then over everything I hear her voice screaming. "AUGH I'VE BEEN BIT!"

Then I'm screaming at my friends shoving them out and screaming things at them.

Then a large business man takes the stage. I can't hear what he's saying but he throws something at the ground and smoke takes over.

Then a similar looking man grabbed me around the shoulders and mouth. I throw some hits and he backs off and I take off into the smoke. Then some clears from view of the surveillance tape and I see the buffet table knocking over and something black jumping in front of it, landing smoothly in broccoli.

It's me, there, and at that moment. Me right now in real life here, I'm frozen. I'm watching this insane super action movie with me as this thriving star.

Then gunfire and the shrieks of normal people, clinks come from the table and I watch as I pop up and grab the knife and then stab it into the dress. I'm totally jacking up my dress, then my gaze for a moment flits over to the dress in the box… Oh…

I hold the knife at the ready and glance over the table as though I'm preparing for attack when what I should be preparing for is death. Who the hell does that! Brings a knife to a gunfight! Apparently I do!

Then I see Kisser Guy grab me and I struggle as he drags me away.

I'm gone for a while and then, a stout man comes waddling up to where Kisser guy has dragged me and I hold in my breath, but gunfire comes from underneath and he falls back and then I'm walking out and then I hear and right in the corner of the screen I can see a blurry small image of him and me. Kisser Guy says, astounded, "You know I love you right?"

"Mhmm." And then I kiss him again.

OH MY GOD I WANT TO KNOW WHO THE F THIS GUY IS!

There's a load of mumbling echoing around and then I hear him say, "Be careful."

Then I come into better view. I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "Nah, I'll be busy having fun."

And Kisser Guy takes off, shooting some guy in the face, before racing into the dust. Then I growl something to myself before stomping off, and then as soon as I've disappeared, another business man walks up into the area. He whispers something to a Bluetooth, adjusts his sunglasses and then holds up a gun to the camera.

All goes black.

I start nervously laughing then. I've got to be dreaming. Yeah, that's it, this is the crap that's fake.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, yeah. Uh, huh. Yeah. Okay Ha-"

He looks at me with eyes that simply say. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah okay, crazy. I've learned my lesson or whatever. Treat others they way you want to be, and love your family, have morals. Okay, take me back to normal land!"

His eyes don't change.

"I understand if you don't believe me, but I'm not lying, this actually happened."

I burst out again. He just stares at me.

"Ha, ha, ha,… Ha, oh, no. You're serious…."

He nods at me apologetically and I'm frozen again.

The paintings.

Kisser Stranger Guy.

Arrested.

Trialed.

Explosion.

Murder.

Guns.

Gala Event.

Blood.

Lies.

Oh, shit.

[][][][][][][]

I've been sitting at the table for what feels like hours. Staring at the box, I've now pulled down from the attic. I trace the bold black S in LIES that's written on the side of the box Ari tries to console me, tries to explain and talk to me, but I'm upset and confused as it is. Then I finally notice a yellow piece of paper flapping against the fridge. I squint so I don't have to get up.

**Syd-**

**Party. Gone. Back next week. **

**Food money is on your dresser. **

**-Dunk**

Black leather jacket, red and black striped baggy-drapey tank with a solid black tank underneath with my ripped up jean shorts,[Maya calls them my Ke$ha stockings cause they're "ripped all up the sides"] thigh high black ripped stockings and my high tops later, I'm in the car. Ari in the passenger seat. I try to adjust to his presence, but it's just awkward and he knows it.

My hair is in it's sloppy bun and I couldn't give more of a care about the way I look. All I care about is finding Duncan and ripping his head up.

Yesterday Maya had texted me the directions to the party where Duncan was going cause originally we were all going to go together, but I'm super pissed off with all of the so called "friends" [if you couldn't tell] so I'm gonna fly this one solo.

Then an hour and a half later, strobe lights pull into view and my lip curls.

I park and lock the truck before hopping out and onto the sand. People are swaying and talking out on the patio and some are making out behind the house as the music blares. If only I could say that this is as bad as Duncan's parties… I then look behind me like I hear something and at that moment I realize Ari isn't there and I get a chill racing down my spine.

If this is fake…

As I come to the door, some random guy opens it for me. "Hey! It's Da Falcon's sis! You've gotta tell us if this is the best NYE part-AY you've ever had."

I smile sweetly, but yet my eyes read agitated.

"Oh I can already tell it's going to be the. _Best_. New. Years. Eve. Of. _My_. _Life_."

I storm away and try to pull through the pack of people. Some people woot and everyone's shouting as I try to push past just trying to find Duncan.

The crowd starts to swallow me, "Duncan!" I shout over the people and music as I try to stand on my tiptoes to see over anyone. "Hey! Syddy, you made it!"

I turn around. Oh, _Hunter_… Hunter, _no_, now's _really_ not the time.

I suddenly want to break down and shriek "you liar" at him, but I resist the urge and suck in my gut. "Hunter, please, not right now, I'm looking for-"

He puts his hands to my lips. "But first you must delight us with a song!" I shake my head, but he's already got people wiled up. "YEAH!" "WHOO! WHOO!" "COME ON!"

"No, really I can't-"

"Come on!"

"I _can't_!"

"Just one, just one, just _one_."

"Please, Hunter, don't make this harder than it needs to be. I just want to find, Duncan!"

"Well, I won't tell you unless you play us all a pretty little song!" He pretends to lock his lips and throw away the key and all I want to do is kick him in the shin.

"Fine! Fine!" I shout and people all scream in response and raise their plastic red beer cups in response.

The DJ motions me on stage. And gestures to his large song selection as he hands me the mike. His T-shirt says, "DJ Ty Fray- Best in Da Bidness" and I glance away and point at the first song that I see and I smile as I realize this, best represents how I'm currently feeling.

I put the mike in the stand and he taps me on the shoulder.

"You ever think about the DJ business?" He asks, He's got a small dark goatee on his black skin.

I shrug. This really wasn't the utmost on my mind.

"You should. Hear you at the BR last Friday!" He hands me his card. "Think about it, man. Gimme a ring. I'll hook you up."

I nod and stick the card in my pocket. Not thinking about it. And he gives me the thumbs up as the music plays.

"_You say, that I'm messing with you're head,"_

When p., sing Avril Lavigne.

I'm getting into like I normally do when I hear a song I love to sing, and for a moment I start to think everything is alright as I yank the microphone stand around.

"_But honestly I just need to be a little crazy! All my life I've been good, but now oh-oh-oh I'm thinking what the hell!_" I glare out into the crowd. Wishing Duncan's somewhere in there and maybe he'd get the freaking message.

"_You can't save me, baby, baby. All my life I've been good, but now oh-oh-oh I'm thinking what the hell!" _

Three minutes later the song ends and people go up in roars. I smile and wave awkwardly to the crowd before giving the DJ back his mike. I mumble a "thanks" and quickly exit the stage. Where's Hunt!

"Okay let's slow it down just a touch. As a request by some emo kid in this room, Never Gonna Leave This Bed by the amazin' MAROON FIVE!" DJ Ty Fray screams out at the crowd and there screaming and dancing crazy all over again. And the music plays.

And it suddenly seems like I'm in some weird movie.

Then the crowd is engulfing me again. And I try to pull through, and somewhere in the crowd I hear someone saying, "I'm getting the hell out of here! Thanks, Fang! Thanks a whole hell of a lot!"

The voice is oddly familiar so I follow it. It's Hunter I bet you-

Then- trip, crash and fall to the ground. Knocking over a stranger and falling on him in the process.

Like a boss.

Way to go, Sydney. Way to g-

I gasp, as I actually look at who I am on top on. The painting of me and that guy came swarming back and the video…

Kisser Guy…

Iggy

And then there she is.


	9. Seemingly Innocent But Important Factor

Iggy

It was like something sparked up. Some shouting was going on the mob and, Fang said to me, "Hey, Ig, I think we should get out of here."

"What? Oh, no way. You go completely out of your way and drag me down to this party. We're staying."

"No, Iggy, really, come on."

"Dude, seriously? What the hell's going on?"

Then the music started, and it was too late. For the whole three minutes I was a statue in the corner. Her voice was there, singing out to the crowd. She sounded, agitated, frustrated. I wondered what was on her mind, as I stood there frozen listening to her voice. I had gone months without her. And this was my reward? Oh, God… _Sydney_, why'd you come here?

God, I swear, someone's trying to screw with me.

As the song ends, I suddenly break free of my trance, infuriated.

Great, absolutely fantastic. It's like fate's just teasing me. I turn on Fang, it's all his damn fault after all. Bringing me here! I start to give out a soft laugh, but it comes out irritated.

"You're kind of a jackass," I tell him as I shove past him and into the crowd, heading for the door.

"Ig, man, c'mon. It's not like I knew she was going to show up!"

"Whatever, kay? Look everything was fine without her, she was _safe_! Now it's all gonna be worse."

"Ig-"

"Oh, shut up. I'm getting _the_ _hell_ outta here. Thanks, Fang. Thanks a whole hell of a lot."

Then all of a sudden.

Contact.

A flash of magenta and black hits me like a ton of bricks and I fall backwards.

Then she looked me in the eye, and her jaw dropped. Her lips attempted to form words I could just barely read. _It's… You.._

Oh, dear, sweet God.

I quickly get up and hold out my hand to her, slightly losing her amazing face from my view.

She hesitantly takes my hand, her mouth still agape her eyes, crazy full with emotions. A part of me feels hope. Does she remember? Does she know who I am? We're just staring, and it feels like I'm frozen. But the music's still playing, the people are still raving. But then they… they start to fade and then it's just her, and I'm revolving, around… and around… and around.

Now I feel the back of my neck start to get hot. Her safety's the most important, no wonder she's staring back, you won't open you're mouth and speak you blind freak!

I clear my throat and drop her hand. Suddenly feeling very lost.., Very "Sorry," I cough out and then shove my hands in my pockets as I turn and start to walk out.

Sydney

I start to watch him walk away. Was this it? Was I just going to let him walk out of here? He had or has, I'd guess, a piece of me and I never realized it, and now I'm going to let someone I knew in what feels almost like a past life, slip away for what could just be forever.

I was about to turn around in hopes I was possibly hallucinating, when I heard someone scream out my name. Maya.

"Sydney! Why'd you run away earlier! Are you okay?"

She runs up to me, shaking me by the shoulders and then squeezing me tight. And by the volume at which my name was shrieked I'm sure the rest of the troops are not far behind. She then looks behind my shoulder and her face goes both cold and pale. And very faintly, she utters, "Oh."

I sneer at her. "Yeah, 'oh'." I turn on my heel, not in the mood to speak to her or to anyone else, I knew for that freaking matter.

"Sydney wait!"

I whirl back around, my arm whipping up. "SHUT _UP_!" I find myself practically screaming.

"You _lied_ to me! You _all_ _lied_ to me! Just shut up! I don't want to hear you damn excuses. " I adjust my jacket and turn away. Storming out, tears stinging hot in my eyes.

The door slams shut, and I see him.

There, not far beyond the house.

And then.

I have an epiphany.

His eyes are blue.

How could I have missed it?

His eyes are blue.

His.

Eyes.

Are.

Blue.

That all too important factor rushes at me again. It _is_ him. And then in that moment, I discover that it is all true. It did all happen. And this time, I'm absolutely one hundred percent certain.

And there he is. The only person that was with through all of that. Maybe he can save me from now.

I look back at the party and through welled up tears in my eyes I see Maya talking to Chandler. Maya's in tears too.

He glances out the window and sees me.

I make a run for it.


	10. It's Not a Trap, I Promise

Sydney

He's standing right on the shoreline of the Galveston beach. Right where water is rippling out on the sand.

I swallow. And I step from the tall unmowed grass to the soft clingy sand. I walk up next to him, looking over the sea into the dusky horizon. This feels, on all levels, so ill-mannerly and charmingly wrong that there's something almost right about it. For years I had debated wrong and right between guys but suddenly here was someone who seems to be both… Or maybe none at all. Maybe it has something to do with the way his hair is in his eyes or the way he abruptly dropped my hand. But whatever it is, it's definitely worth the mystery.

I feel this odd and tantalizing wave of something… unexpected.

The salty seawater swarms up greet me, washing the beer someone spilled on the floor that I stepped in off of my ankle. I had taken off and left my shoes in a safe spot by the grass, easily accessible if need be.

He stood there, his hands in his pockets.

He's different. It was easy to tell, and the way he had just stared at me… No ones ever just _stared_ before.

"I know this might sound crazy. But… I know you from somewhere… I think… You might know some information, that's somehow vital to me that I don't even know about myself."

His gaze and face soften I notice as I tore my gaze from the ocean to look at him.

I waited for him to say something only to be whipped with silence.

I turn to face him.

C'mon, Syd, confidence. This is your life and past at stake. Just say what you need to say.

"Do you know me?"

He took his time and he looks at me, an amused grin on his face.

"Sydney Falcon…" His voice is gentle and rhythmic, but yet it's like honey since he basically said it all in a laugh.

"Of course you would figure it out."

My eyes get hot. It is him! And then I rub my eyes and straighten my face out. I haven't realized that ever since he said my name, I've been smiling.

"What happened to me?" I find it in me to ask. Then I meet his eyes, and I add on, "You're blind."

He freezes up and shakes his head. He took a step back.

"When I first met you, you said it was cool, that you didn't see me any different."

"Well it seems that the past me and I have very similar taste."

It feels like every single vein in my body is some sort of sizzling ember. Like every limb is on fire. This is insane. What do I do now? What do I say now?

He smiles at me, and then I don't feel so clueless. And now I just really, really wish I could remember everything.

"Are you okay?" He asks me. Genuine concern written on his face. He reaches out to touch my arm, but then he awkwardly retracts. And instead just comes closer, which is good enough.

"It's just overwhelming. Just a few hours ago, I discovered for months I had been running on lies and now the only person who could tell me what actually happened is actually, finally here."

Then he holds out his hand. "I'm Iggy. Iggy Ride."

His hand stays out for me to take. Here it is the gateway to everything. To my framing and a love lost at sea.

He laugh softly, soft strawberry blond hair sweeping in his eyes.

"Don't worry. It's not a trap, I promise."


	11. Ironically It's A Day to Remember

Iggy

Here, in these moments, it feels as though nothing ever happened.

Like she was never in the fight for her life, that she never knew anything. It was just us here. Just… here.

Floating… I'm just a small speck of life in her universe and she… She's some sort of bright light. She's larger than life and she knows it. She's some sort of star and moon combined. I love that about her. I'm letting myself get carried away. She doesn't remember what we are- used to be.

Well, she's back now. And I just like it, just sitting here with her is enough. She won't know about anything anymore. She'll never know who I truly am. Or what she truly is herself.

She laughs in the driver's seat. "So…" She says, after calming down from a laugh.

"Where to?"

"Well if anyone here knows a Tex Mex place with karaoke on Fridays…"

In the darkness I can feel the warmth of her smile.

"Finally, someone with distinction."

I feel the truck make a swerve, speed, turn, park. There's some fumbling with the shift, but soon enough the keys are out and she's opening the door.

I sigh to myself. Suddenly, realizing what I've just got myself into. What am I even gonna tell her?

I get out of the car and feel my way across a sedan and a Hyundai. Before I feel her arm, now a hand and bam, there she is and for a minute I'm about to just dump my man card and cry. I haven't seen her in so long. I haven't seem that smile, hair, eyes, skin. And now I have it again.

It's mine again…

She wraps an arm around my waist and takes my arm and slings it over my shoulder and guides me through the parking lot and through the front door of Burns and J's Tex-Mex restaurant.

But I'm only looking at her. She looks up at me, which is saying much seeing how she hasn't grown a bit. Blushes, adjusts her shoulders for a moment and helps me towards a booth.

I take a seat in one side, her in the other. I hear Taylor Swift singing at some New Years Eve party on the TV above us.

"So…" I started, parting the awkward sea in between us.

"So… What happened? To me?" She insantly starts, obviously eager to find out what had happened to her.

"I saw these newspapers and old newscasts on VHS tapes," she continues. "And somehow my so claimed "uneventful" summer included me getting arrested for murder, raped or severely beaten in some way that made my memory erase completely. And it was all okay, everything was normal, and I bought all the lies and then my friend made me go to this salon and there were these… paintings. Of me."

I freeze, serendipity has got some sort of never loosening grip on us.

"In one there was this guy, looking at me. And… he looked like you."

I shuffle around in my seat. What do I say? What do I tell her? How do I tell her what happened without making her think I'm crazy.

"And in the middle of staring at the paintings one of the customers in the place started screaming and calling me a murderer. And after that… I kind of broke down. And then hey I'm sorry, if this sounds totally insane, and hey I wouldn't believe it myself, but a ghost guy came to me then. He had this wild green hair and a star scar on his temple-"

"Ari!" I mindlessly interrupt.

"Yes! …You know who I'm talking about?"

"Friend's brother. But go on," I say, wanting to know why Ari's ghost was visiting her.

"Um, okay… Well he froze time and then said we'd met before, but I've never seen him. And then, he told me "why tell you everything when I could show you" and ran out, and I followed him."

She told me everything from then out, not missing a single detail, retelling the story in such a way for a moment I thought I was there with her, living it.

"And then I ran into you…" She takes a pause and I can feel her eyes on my face. "Why didn't you say something to me?"

"You said, you remember waking up in a hospital bed. Well I was there. But so was your brother. After everything you had undergone. Listen, Sydney, you really think that it's so bad, but the real ugly was what you had been through. At least you could forget that. You had that brilliant opportunity. You're brother said to me and to the nurse as you were waking up for the first time as someone who didn't know I existed, he said that he didn't want you to know… and even though it killed and me then, and still… and still does now… I… I agreed with him."

I could faintly hear her chewing her lip.

"But.. but why? What else happened that was so awful?"

"If I told you, you'd get up right now and walk out."

"What if I promise not to?"

I laugh to myself, shaking my head.

"You wouldn't keep it."

She pauses, "Did I know whatever it is back then…?"

"Just cause you accepted it then, doesn't mean you will now."

I can hear her swallow, it's hard. I take this opportunity. I slowly edge my hand across the table and graze her wrist with my thumb. That one ridiculously sweet picture of her sweeps across my fatalistic vision., but she pulls away her hand. Taking her face with her.

I sigh and slowly retract.

"Hey, Iggy?" She asks, voice soft as a prayer. "Who were you in my life?"

I shake my head. "Please," I beg, frail. "No more questions, I just want to treasure this right here."

I can feel her eyes burning into my face.

"Do you- do you wanna sing something with me?" I finally muster.

Her voice, wavers, but sounds happy. "Yeah, I'd like that…"

We both get up and she helps me to the machine. "Did you have something in mind?" She asks.

"It's kinda… good for this… It explains it…"

She doesn't say anything. Whispers echo around.

"Don't worry," I tell her, smiling slightly, "You know this one." I feel a microphone in a stand pressing into my hand as she comes with me on stage. The music starts, and as it sinks in, she laughs quietly.

"_Hey darling, I hope you're good tonight. And I know, you don't feel right when I'm leaving. Yeah, I want it, but no I don't need it. Tell me something sweet to get me by. Cause I can't come back home till their singing. La, la, la, la, la, la, la. Till everyone is singing. If you can wait till I get home then I swear to you that we can make this last. If you can wait till I get home. Then I swear come tomorrow this will all be in our past. Oh, it might be for the best ." _

A Day to Remember_, If it means a lot to you_. It's her favorite song. Or it was three months ago…

"_Hey sweetie, well I need you here tonight. And I know that you don't want to be leaving me. Yeah you want it but I can't help it. I just feel complete when you're by my side. But I know you can't come home 'til they're singing, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. ." _

She never lost her fire. And right then, hearing her sing, it absolutely breaks my heart.

I know I'm so not the best singer, or even remotely good, but then as our voices twisted and collided into each other.

Choruses and verses, sung, voices carrying throughout the patio , and as the song ends, I get this urge to just kiss her.

The customers burst out into applause, but I'm staring her way. Somehow I find her hand, and just hold it. Her head snaps my way. And her gaze intensifies, and she blushes, bites her lip, but doesn't let go.

I smile at her, and she moves closer to me.

"I think I understand…" She whispers softly, to me.

"HEY IT'S ALMOST MIDNIGHT!" Someone shouts grasping everyone's attention. People stand ready to scream and party.

"Really?" I ask, sounding overeager.

She nods, eyes a little sad.

"FIVE! FOUR!"

"Iggy… How much did you mean to me?" She asks.

"THREE! TWO!"

"You tell me."

Then I forget it all, I pull her towards me. I take her waist, and pull her into me.

Our lips collide, and I'm swept away to a place that last night, I thought I'd never be again.

"ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Iggy's back.


	12. Maybe it was Supposed to be this Way

Sydney

All of a sudden, everything muted. There are a pair of sweet lips on mine and a soft, feeling I that feels so familiar slaps me across the face. Then it happens…

I feel myself being dragged back into my mind. Then visions speed past me, thought and feelings and emotions flit through my at a million miles an hour.

Then I'm stopped. I see me walking into the gas station, talking to Maya. Then Iggy walks in… now we're talking to him. Now I'm in the Break Room and there he is sitting with a bunch of others he comes to me as I sit at the bar again. Then he smiles, now I'm writing my number on his arm.

I snap my head back.

What just happened?

He stares at me.

"Are you okay?"

"I saw… A… This thing. A vision. When you kissed me- Of you at a gas station. And at a coffee shop…"

He gapes for a moment and then, in a half choke half relieved chuckle he coughs out, "The day… I met you… We talked at the gas station. You gave me you're number at the Break Room…"

"What?" I ask, my mouth stupidly hanging on its hinge.

"You remembered. You _remembered_!"

I choke for a moment and then smile a little.

Is this really happening? Am I finally pulling back to myself. Yes! I go back to Iggy. He's so nice and I see now. He used to be everything, wasn't he? He's my key to my past. Now, it's slowly being unlocked. Unraveling into my hands and it's amazing. It's almost unimaginable. And Iggy… I smile. What about Iggy?

"SYDNEY!"

A deep voice slices through our sheet of happiness.

I whip my gaze out to the parking lot, peering through the dancing people on the deck.

And there by his junky old deep green rocker van. Is Hunter.

Right, Hunter…

I awkwardly cough and move away.

"Hunter…" I groan under my breath.

Iggy looks shocked.

"I-um-I have to go handle this…" I mutter the lame excuse under my breath and drop from his arms and start towards Hunter, I hop the patio fence.

Hunter's pissed, but somewhat relieved to have found me.

"Sydney, what the hell? You ran off with this random guy and leave one of your best friends crying-"

"Shut up! Just shut up, Jesus!" I throw my hands up in the air. "You've lied to me, you all lied to me. He at least is helping me out. But all you ever did was lie to me! Something sick happened to me over the past three months and I want to know what!"

"It was for your own good!"

"You _lied_ to me!"

"Sydney, I may not know the whole story, but what happened was a big deal and I just don't want you to get hurt!"

"A little late for that!"

"Is there a problem here?" An employee comes out to handle our episode. He's a rugged tall guy in his late teens. He's got a plastic name tag with the name Dave printed in all caps.

"No. He was just leaving."

"Not without you. I can explain everything."

"No. Sorry. But I've-"

I turn around, looking back to the patio but Iggy is no longer there. And suddenly I feel silly. Why'd I kiss that guy? Ugh. Nice move, Falcon. Real classy.

I take note of Dave. "Thanks, Dave. But I got this." Dave shrugs and nods and saunters back inside.

"Just promise me no lies." I say pinching the bridge of my nose. Squinting shut my eyes.

Hunter comes up and grabs my arms. "Never again, Sydney," he promises. Then he kisses me tenderly and I get that vibe he gives off.

"Never."

I throw my arms around his neck and just hug him. He hugs me back tightly and kisses my neck.

As we pull away, he smiles at me and puts his arm around my shoulders.

"Let's go."

He smiles at me and I go into the passenger side of the van. Soon enough it feels like the kiss never happened. I put my feet firmly back on the ground and come back to reality and join Hunter. Who I really do like. But deep inside of me. I can't shake Iggy. Even if he was just someone trying to play me.


	13. Love Note Trapped in Time

Sydney

We lay on the hood of the van staring up at the stars through a clearing in the trees. Arms behind our heads, we just stare.

"So you were arrested for murder. You went to trial. We went to a break and then when they called back, you had disappeared from the bathroom. The cop who was supposed to guard you was astounded." He chuckles for a moment, but then his face gets hard.

"I'll be honest. Everyone was scared shitless. They were scared and didn't know what to do or how you could have just been taken like that. You were gone for three days. Those seventy two hours Duncan refused to sleep. Your friends refused to sleep. Rhonda refused to sleep. I refused to sleep. Not until you were back. We never stopped searching."

I look over at him, he still gazes at the sky. A serious look is on his face.

"Then you just showed up… and not in great shape. Right outside the station. I remember. I was the first one who'd seen you. I was coming back to check on the search with officer Jochem and then I saw something in the grass and then it began to look less like a blob and more like a body. So I ran towards you and when I figured out it was you. I had a miniature stroke. You were just so… beaten… You were absolutely covered in cuts and blood and bruises and you could smell it all over you. The sweat and grime and blood it was… overwhelming. I'm so glad you didn't have to see the look on Rhonda's face when she saw you. Or Maya's for that matter. Or Duncan… The investigative services that were inspecting you said that you must have been in some abusive fight and they couldn't trace any tracks. They couldn't figure out how you got there. Like you just fell out of the sky. The coma was three weeks. And I… I came to see you as much as I could. Usually every day… But do you see now? Why he didn't want you to know? Sydney, this was the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. And I'm positive it was ano walk through Candyland for Duncan either."

"No… I see."

I push up the sleeves of the leather jacket. All of those scars. A fight? A fight over what? Shaking I look back up, but then I glance over, Hunter's staring at me now. And he pulls me in, and suddenly I'm not so frightened anymore.

"I'm sorry…" I whisper. He shakes his head.

"Don't be. I'm sorry…"

He presses his nose against my forehead and it pulls my head up and I get his lips closer to mine.

"annnnnndd-" I tap his nose. "Tag you're it!" And quickly I slide off the van and take off running through the forest.

"You're dead, Falcon!" He shouts coming after me. I course through the trees and bushes

"You'll never catch me slowpoke!" I call over my shoulder, laughing.

Then I get to a spot in a clearing and there smack in the middle. A house. It's been recently abandoned. And the door is kicked in.

I don't know what it is, but the house makes me stop.

I stare at it.

The house…. It means something too. Something says it's important.

The house… It should scare me. It looks old and creepy and haunted.

But then the house… It just looks like it has something I need to see.

I hear Hunter panting behind me. "Okay, you win! Sydney?... Sydney?"

I can't reply, the house just makes me quiet.

"Syddy?"

I shake myself awake for a moment.

"Let's go in," I say. In a voice that doesn't feel like mine. I walk towards it. Feeling some sort of eerie gravitational pull drag me in with its deathly claws. Hunt must not feel the same however because he comes up and grabs me by the arms, dragging me back to him.

"Uh, Sydney? You sure? That house looks really… creepy."

"Come on Hunt! Let's go exploring."

I take his hands and pull him and he rolls his eyes and laughs, squeezing my hands.

We walk up the steps and that's when I first get it.

A hit. Like an invisible brick has been thrown at my stomach. I back up a bit, but my curiosity never dies. And I step gently over the kicked in door.

Then… a wave. It floods me and I feel nostalgia… I don't know why, but it's making me sick.

Hunter's hand gets tighter on mine. And suddenly he lets out a pained "GAH!" He drops my hand and jumps up.

I stare at him confused, and for a moment frightened.

"What?"

"Your hand burned my hand!"

"What?"  
"Your hand is white hot!"

That couldn't be right. I actually feel cold. The breeze is blowing in from the door and it's chilly.

"Um… Okay?"

We hold off into the air for a bit, not quite sure what to do about this. Then Hunter says, "Sydney. We need to go."

"Just give me two minutes."

"This doesn't feel right, Sydney."

"Oh, right, what's the worst that could happen? Vampires will come out and eat me?"

Hunter shoots me a look that says, don't get sarcastic-I'm serious. But I shrug it off.

I take in the house. It's drafty meaning the door has been open for days. All the furniture is covered in white cloths and shelves are dusty and empty. There's a gust of wind a scraping noise comes from the hall nearest the door.

We both freeze up.

"Okay that's it, Sydney, we've got to-"

He makes the mistake of grabbing my hand, and it burns him again, he gasps out. "Okay, I don't know what's going on here, but obviously whatever's here wants me to find out!"

I go past Hunter, who comes after me and I go into the hall, the wave getting bigger and bigger inside of me… starting to drown me. I hold on to my stomach and head and I get to a room, the door wide open. I turn to it, and it feels slow… like an old movie… everything kind of gets all black and white.

The room is large. Black fan, king bed, navy striped comforter, dresser in the corner. It all looks normal. But… there's all these little scraps of metals and wires scattered on the ground. But then I really look at it… the comforter is strewn across the bed, their seem to be tracks in the scraps, a pillow is in the corner of the room. I walk through and another wave crashes onto me, and then… I open the dresser drawer.

There's only one thing in the dresser… a whole girl's outfit…. Wait…. These clothes…

Their mine?

I touch the purple sag shirt, that looks exactly like one I own and a pain strikes my head and I drop to my knees. It is my shirt and my breathing gets heavy. My past… This has to do with my past. There's a jean skirt of mine… Oh my God… What? Then the wind blows again and in shock I feel like I'm being pushed down, That's when I realize.. as I look up. On the pillow of the bed.. There is a crumpled piece of paper. Not holding anything back I grab at it and unravel it.

A note? A letter?

And then I choke.

_Sydney,_

_This pains me so much more than it pains you. The flock and I left to save the world from the regrouping Itex members. I didn't want to leave because I had just met you and fell in love so fast, but I could never live with myself if an eraser got you and caught me and you out in public together Though it hurts like hell, I'm doing this for the both of us. For you mostly, though. I refuse to let you get hurt. So be careful Stay where you are, when I come back, I'll find you. I wish I could've come and told you to your face, but Erasers were already destroying parts of the world. If you are captured by them, I'll come and save you, even if it means leaving the rest of the world to parish in doom._

_Though I desperately want to, I can't tell you we're it is were going. Don't forget me._

_I promise not to blow anything to important up._

_Keep Beautiful and don't forget me-_

_James Griffith._

_P.S. I love you so much it hurts._

_P.P.S. I'm actually allergic to gum._

Gah… Gah! GAH! Half of this doesn't make any sense! What? Oh my God! My breathing starts to get heavy and I start to freak out. What the hell is happening to me?

Then, the tidal wave rockets at me and pulls me under and for a minute I let myself drown and it flows back.

Running through this house… I kicked down the door. I burst through the room. I see me reading the note in the past. I'm on the ground. Crying. On my knees. Then I feel my being pulled out of the water.

"Sydney?"

Hunter asks, sounding anxious.

"Let's go…" I whisper shakily, tucking the note away into my pocket.

"Are you-"

"Let's go. That's what you wanted, right?" I snap.

Hunter doesn't argue, but for fear of being burned again by me we walk out of the house. I feel the wave bow and exalt, it's done its job and is expecting a promotion I'm sure.

Full of fright and shaking violent from concern about my past Hunter tries to put his arm around me. Now that we are out of the house I'm not lava hot anymore. And somewhere in me that scares me more than anything.

I suddenly don't feel safe anymore.

Apparently there's another story. And the only two people that could tell me that story either A) are dead and B) died three months ago.

I get in the passenger side, still trembling. I don't.. I don't… Hunter puts the key in the ignition and starts to move the car quickly out of the forest. I look back in the rearview mirror anxiously hoping this is a dream and then…. In the kicked in doorway I see a figure… tall and strawberry ..blond. Iggy.

I scream, "SHIT!" and I scare Hunter who jumps. Then, without thinking I swing open the door, trying to jump out to run to him.

What the hell do you know that you're not telling me? Who's James? Who is he? WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!

"SYDNEY NO!" Hunter drops the wheel to grab me by the waist and well…

Let's just say we kept moving and the van did not.

Smoke fluttered out of the hood like an eerie presence. Hunter holds me down, but as soon as he sees the van he jumps up.

"Oh man… Holy.. Shit… Shit, shit, shit, shit."

I sit up on my knees and stare at the house. He isn't in the doorway anymore. But I feel a third party in the air.

"I am so screwed… Sydney are you okay?" He rushes down to help, realizing I'm still here.

I shake my head, scared to hell and frozen. And I rip my arm from his hands.

"no…." I whisper. "No…" I shake my head and then get up and just start running. I don't even know where I'm going. But then again it doesn't even matter.


	14. Scream for It

Sydney

I found my way home… it took me forever, but I finally found the house. I reflect on yesterday and the mysterious house. I'm still scared out of my mind. And the note is on my bed. I can't stop reading it. I just wanna know what this means.

Duncan isn't home of course. He holds out on these I'm-not-coming-home-until-next Saturday- things.

I run up to my bedroom and jump under my covers, whispering scared and anxious prayers over and over. In hope that when I woke up, I would never remember what happened or better yet that it never happened at all. I ignore Hunter's persistent and furious pounding on my front door. "SYDNEY! COME ON I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! WHAT'S WRONG?"

I squint my eyes shut, and in fear I whisper only to myself, "Go away, Hunter."

Happy New Year.

[][][][][][][][]

I sit up in bed and bleed out the words in the note for the millionth time tonight.

I prayed. I prayed so hard last night that I prayed myself to sleep.

But this happened. It never went away.

I look at the clock. It's seven fifteen in the evening.

Then I look at the window, I see a flash of lightning and two long brown and white feathers. Suddenly a clap of thunder and another strike of light and a bursting strained pain rockets through me. I hold onto my stomach and I try to go towards the window. Boom. Light. "Ah!" I gasp holding my side in pain, as I back away.

Suddenly, my breathing is becoming short and fast and sharp and this coating of fright starts to wrap around me darkly. I back out my door quickly onto to find myself being caught by a flight of stairs, that pushed me all the way down to the ground.

I try to stand.

My ribs are hurting. A black fog encircles me and for a moment I'm afraid I'll pass out. I try to take a deeper breath as I stumble around the house for something to grab onto.

It feels like there's something trying to wrap around me in some way to erase my from myself so that it can take over. I'm getting light headed and I get into the kitchen. I grab onto the counter as if I'm going to fall into an abyss if I let go. I feel everything shaking, like an earthquake or an erupting volcano. My shivering hand tries to hold onto the note and pull it up so that I can read it again.

_Dear Sydney…._

I open my eyes and take a deep breath… Like I haven't taken one in a million years. I feel something tickle my cheek. It's the ferret. I stroke his tiny nose and sit up feeling like I have chains draped over me and weights pulling me down, trying to get me to fall through the ground. Then, so suddenly, he vanishes… I look around and then realize, he wasn't the one stroking my cheek. The tickle, was in fact, one of two feathers styled in my hair. Their white, long and brown on the tips. Then I move my arms, they-they're bare. I'm in a strapless gown, it's ripped up torn at the edge. Torn and in shreds. All the scars are fresh cuts. Then, mid-inspection, it hits me. The world goes to slowmo as I realize where I am. The tile floors and grand high ceilings. Distortion hits now… And I feel my soul, spirit, my entire self being pulled out of my body and then with a harsh flick, I'm soaring through the air, my guts about to fling out of my ass.

I hit a wall of black, and when I find it in myself to lift my head. I see my body limp on the ground., but then, footsteps in the distance. A tall guy comes walking in. Bloodstained white button up shirt and black trousers, he looks about seventeen. He takes my hand, I can feel it on me, and my head looks up and stands. As contact is made, the bloodied wounds, stains, rips and tears, they're all gone. And all that's left is us, and our clothes have changed into white. Weak in his arms, he holds me up, and I start to think I'm invisible. Until the man looks over my shoulder, "Wake up Sydney. Dreaming's over."

Suddenly, there is a shattering noise, like glass breaking. And slow motion returns as a shard flies towards me. And reveals my spirits appearance. I gasp, but I only catch a glimpse of the monster in the mirror.

And these words slithered through the air and haunted me,

"_Keijoy_… _akuma_…"

Writhing, I wake on the kitchen tile. Lightning strikes out in the night somewhere, and rain beats down. But it is fright that falls down on me and in a rush I grab my keys and rush out the door to my car.


End file.
